Flexed-back merchandise display



May23, 1939. 4 SNELLING 2,159,679

FLEXED- BACK MERCHAND]; S E DI SPLAY Filed Dec. 7, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet ly 23, 1939- N. SNELLING 2,159,679

FLEXED-BACK MERCHANDISE DISPLAY Filed Dec. 7, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR MCI/0L 45 SlVflZl/VG SALJQKM -1 ATTORNEY} Patented May 23, 1939UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLEXED-BAGK MERCHANDISE DISPLAY NicholasSnelling, Jackas- Heights,

Long Island, N. I.

Application December 7, 1936, Serial No. 114,617

3 Claims. (Cl. 211-72) 7 This invention relates to devices fordisplaying merchandise, and particularly wherein the merchandise isdisposed forwardly of a back display section; and the object of theinvention is to provide a display device fashionedfrom a single sheet ofmaterial cut and folded to provide overlapping, interlocking andsubstantially triangular base or bottom wall portions with a unitarybackor display section foldable with respect to one side edge of each of thebottom wall portions so that in coupling the bottom wall portions, theback or display section is supported in a flexed or curved mannerextending the side edges of the display section forwardly with respectto the vertical center of said back section andso as to form within theside edges of the display section and upon said bottom walls a recess inwhich an article of merchandise may be arranged on display; a furtherobject being to view, the invention consists in a device of the classandfor the purpose specified, which is simple in construction, eflicient inuse, and which is constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, ofwhich the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate partsof my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters ineach of the views, and in which;

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of one form of device which I employ.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is aplan View of the blank employed in forming the device shownin Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a front View of a modified form of construction.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fi 4. Fig. 6 is a planview of the blank which I employ in forming the device shown in Figs. 4and 5.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of another form of device which I employ.

Fig. 8 is a'vertical section through the device shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of one part or blank of the device shown in Figs.7 and 8; and,

Fig. 10 isa plan view of one of the other blanks employed/ In theconstruction shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inelusive, I employ a blank llconsisting of a large back wall and display section I2, the peripheraledges 13 .of which may be of any desired contour to be consistent withthe advertising matter arranged thereon. Foldable with respect to thelower edges of the section 12- on the lines [4 and 15 are substantiallytriangular bottom wall parts I6 and I! having semi-circular cuts I8 andI9 forming interlocking tongues 20, 2| which are adapted to be coupledtogether in securing the bottom wall parts l6 and I! one upon the otherand against lateral separation when the device is in use. In couplingthe bottom wall parts together as 'above stated, the outer corners 22and '23 of the lower edge of the display section [2 are drawn forwardly,which operation flexes the back display wall I2 to form a curved backwall structure as clearly seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings, it

being understood that the vertical central line 24 of the back. wallwill be arranged vertically to the'adjacent corners 25 of the triangularbottom walls I6 and I1, thus producing a very attractive display backingfor an article of merchandise arranged upon the bottom walls l6 and I1and within the forwardly flexed side corner portions 23, 24 of saidbacking as well as the forwardly curved or extended central side edges26 and 21.

The construction shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 differsfr'om that shown inFigs. 1 to 3 inclusive primarily in the form and construction of theback display section of the blank which is identified by the reference28, which includes a supplemental display section 28a adapted to beextended or flexed forwardly with respect to thesection 28 in the mannerclearly seen in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the blank having a circular cut29 which permits the lower edge 30 of the section 28a to flex forwardly,whereas the edge 3| maintains the normally curved contour of the section28. Further, the blank, is scored as at 32-so as to maintain the lowerside edges of the section '28 perpendicularly to the side edges 33 whichmerge thereinto. The upper and other side edges 34 of the section 28amay be of any desired design or contour to suit the merchandise placedon display. The bottom wall parts 35 and 36 are slightly different fromthe wall parts l6 and I! in the curvature of the outer edges 35a, 36athereof. These parts are,

nevertheless, substantially triangular in form and include theinterlocking tongues 31 and 38 similar to the tongues 20 and 2|. Inaddition to providing the forwardly extending supplemental displaysection 28a which adds to the appearance of the entire device, the loweredge 30 thereof may also engage the articles supported on the bottomwalls 35, 36 to aid in holding the article in position as well as to addto the display of such article.

In the construction shown in Figs. 7 to inclusive, I employ one blank 39forming the back wall and display section 4|] and the bottom walls 4|and 42 and two similar blanks 43, one of which is shown in Fig. 10. Thisblank in conjunction with the display forms'an article receivingreceptacle or receptacles upon the bottom walls 4 I, 42. With thisconstruction, the outer edges of the substantially triangular bottomwalls 4|, 42 which are foldable with respect to the wall 40 on the lines4Ia, 42a are angularly disposed as seen at 44, 44a, 45 and 45a.

Each blank 43 is provided with an upright wall portion 46 forming afront wall of the basket, and foldable on the line 41 is a partitionwall member 48 which extends forwardly and backwardly and is provided onits inner end with a hook-shaped tongue 49 adapted to engage a cut orslit- 5!) centrally of the back wall 40 to support the partition walls48 in position as well as to aid in supporting the front wall of thebasket in upright position. Foldable on the lines 5| is a supportingflange 52 having a coupling element 53 adapted to enter other slits 54respectively in supporting the side edges of the vertical front walls 46upon the straight side edges 55, 55a on the back wall 40. The parts thusfolded may be shipped and packed in a compact flat package.

In connection with the structure shown in Figs. '7 to 10 inclusive, theback wall 40 is flexed or curved in the same manner as with thestructure shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive and the other walls formedfrom the blanks 43 simply form the hasket upon the bottom walls of thedisplay partitioned by the walls 48 which divide the basket intoseparate compartments. By reason of the manner of folding the parts, thelower corners of the bottom wall are all sealed so that small articlesplaced in the compartments will be retained against displacement throughthe device. This construction also produces a strong and durable displayof the entire device.

One of the distinctive features of my invention resides in the fact thatthe entire device may be constructed of light weight board or sheetmaterial which may be termed heavy paper 6r thin cardboard, suitable foruse in printing, lithographing or otherwise ornamenting at least onesurface of the sheet to produce an attractive display. The flexure ofthe back wall of the device places this wall under tension whichmaintains said wall in a rigid, upright position even though constructedof light material, while at the same time producing anattractivebackground for the entire device.

It will be understood that in referring to perpendicular and verticalarrangement of the back wall and display section, these terms are toinclude any desired angle of inclination of said wall or section whichis governed by the angle of the fold lines between the bottom walls andthe back walls as will be seen upon a consideration of Figs. 3, 6 and 9of the drawings.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patcut, is:

1. An article support and display device comprising a blank ofrelatively thin sheet material, one edge portion of the blank beingsevered centrally to form independent parts, each foldable with respectto the remainder of the blank on a score line arranged at an angle ofless than ninety degrees to the cut intermediate said parts, said partsbeing adapted to be arranged one upon the other when folded angularlywith respect to the remainder of the blank to form bottom walls of saidparts with the remainder of the blank extending upwardly to form a backwall and display section, the side portions of the display section beingflexed forwardly and the central portion of the display section beinginclined rearwardly when said bottom wall parts are arranged one uponthe other and means on said parts for supporting the device in set upposition.

2. An article support and display device comprising a blank ofrelatively thin sheet material, one edge portion of the blankbeingsevered centrally to form independent parts, each foldable withrespect to the remainder of the blank on a score line arranged at anangle of less than ninety degrees to the cut intermediate said parts,said parts being adapted to be arranged one upon the other when foldedangularly with respect to the remainder of the blank to form bottomwalls of said parts with the remainder of the blank extending upwardlyto form a back wall and display section, the side portions of thedisplay section being 'flexed forwardly when said bottom wall parts arearranged one upon the other with the central portion of the displaysection disposed in a rearwardly inclined position, means on said partsfor supporting the device in set up position, and said last named meanscomprising supplemental front wall parts integrally joined with thebottom wall parts and having means engaging the side portions of theupright display section.

3. A display basket of the class described comprising overlappedsubstantially triangular bot tom wall parts, a single back wall anddisplay section integral and foldable with respect to the rear edge ofeach of the bottom wall parts, whereby the side portions of said sectionare flexed forwardly in overlapping said parts to form a continuouslycurved section extending upright with respect to the bottom wall partsto form the rear portion of a basket, other front wall membersintegrally joined with other edges of said parts and foldable withrespect thereto to form the front walls of the basket, and means at thesides of the front wall members for coupling the same with the sideportions of said section, and means extending rearwardly over the frontwall members and coupled with said section forming a partitionsub-dividing the basket into separate compartments.

NICHOLAS SNELLING.

